hopkins1

Hi, reward tickets, EK miles, no availability currently in first, but I want to book now in bussiness, can I still upgrade to first with miles if it becomes available?
Thanks

ukdoctor

Upgraded a saver J reward ticket to F (with miles) last month.

hopkins1

Perfect thanks

mrtdxb

Can I ask at what point did you upgrade please? Thanks.

edy4eva

I suspect what ukdoctor is referring to is onboard upgrades. To the OP you may only upgrade onboard if there's inventory available (not necessarly empty seats) and you're at least silver. Prior to that, apart from an opup, it's not possible. The only way to secure seats prior to travel would be to cancel, get an immediate refund processed then book in the higher class.

ukdoctor

Three months before the flight. It was done using my miles and I did it online. I have to add that it was a companion fare offer using my Emirates MBNA credit card .


The ticket for my flight in September was bought in May 2014
My ticket was a flex J ( paid by myself)
mrsukdoctor was given a companion fare ( Only taxes and fees )which was booked as a saver reward in J. I then upgraded both of us to F online using miles when F became available sometime later.

The flight was in september by the way.

The reason I remember this very well is that it cost me 32500 miles for mrsukdoctors upgrade from J to F while my upgrade was only 25000 miles . ( One way DXB to LGW).


will post the fare details below for the saver reward ticket which I got for mrsukdoctor

FARE CALCULATIONS
LON EK DXB DBP00 EK LON DBP00 TOTAL MILES 0 END

FARE AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
FARE NOFARE
TAXES/FEES/CHARGES AED75AE AED5TP
AED5ZR AED860GB
AED290UB AED2720YQ
TOTAL AED3955
FORM OF PAYMENT CREDIT CARD


ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
FQTR EKXXXXXXX NON END/SKYWARDS
SAVER REWARD/NOT FOR SALE EK SWDS
COMPANION REWARD / VOUCHER XXXXX

edy4eva

Reward tickets cannot be upgraded. This is according to their rules and it's not possible neither online nor over the phone with the agent. Your case does only prove that it can be done for companion tickets.

subject2load

But the interesting thing is that a 'companion' ticket is in fact subject to the same rules as reward tickets ; so I'm not convinced that ukdoctor's experience can be taken as a reliable guide to what might happen to others in the same situation.

I don't doubt that it worked in his case, because he has told us so. But it seems that EK were not following their own rules. This, from the T&C's applicable to the companion ticket offer (clause no 7 re MBNA/Emirates Elite card) :

".........The card member must purchase an Emirates Skywards Flex Fare in Economy or Business Class at the same time when availing this offer. The Emirates Skywards Companion Reward must be booked on the same flight itinerary, on the same flights and cabin class. The Emirates Skywards Companion Reward will be booked as a Business Class or Economy Saver Reward. Reward upgrades are not permitted".

subject2load

Further to my previous .....I have a hunch that - despite what they say in the MBNA/Emirates T&C's - EK do in fact treat the 'companion ticket' differently from a normal miles award ticket.

I suspect, as edy4eva states, it will NOT be possible to upgrade using miles in the way the OP is hoping to do.

ukdoctor

perhaps I was just lucky. On the other hand my plans for doing another F trip to DXB next year( Only one way in F ) using the same technique have just gone up in smoke.